What is the Pearl Jam inspired Vedder Cup in MLB and what teams participate?

The Vedder Cup is an annual baseball rivalry series between the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres. It’s a informal and somewhat unofficial rivalry that has been in place since the late 90s but this season has been officially formalized by Major League Baseball in 2025.

The cup (or in this case, unique guitar) is named after Eddie Vedder, the lead singer of the rock band Pearl Jam. The connection stems from his ties to both cities; he grew up in San Diego and later became a music icon in Seattle with the rise of the grunge scene.

The winner of the season series receives a trophy that is a custom-designed guitar, personally provided by Eddie Vedder. He has stated that he doesn’t want it to be a showpiece, but an instrument that can actually be played. This years guitar is a spectacularly designed Fender Telecaster guitar with the Pearl Jam frontman overseeing the design process.

The competition also supports a good cause. As part of the series, the two clubs partner to support the Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Partnership (EBRP), a charity co-founded by both Eddie and Jill Vedder.

Seattle sweep

The Vedder Cup is decided by the winners of both regular season series games between San Diego and Seattle with the first three match ups being held last May, a series that the Mariners won 3-0.

Just needing one win from the second series of games at T-Mobile park in Washington State, the Mariners duly won 9-6 on Monday night to record a 4-0 unassailable lead with the team presented with the Vedder Cup in front of a packed house at the downtown Seattle stadium.

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